Homemade Pizza - Soggy Dough

[Alexb2000]

I may do a test run to see how hot I can get my Weber. I have only regulated temps for low-and-slow, never for ultra high-temp cooking. It may be a few weeks but I'll report back. Thanks for the advice.

Sure, let us know. Be careful, I have to use some welding gloves to keep any hair on my arms.

 

[steingar]

Not at all, I am a margarita amateur, there are some serious players in the game, real serious. I took a 2 week cooking class in Italy, there were some people there that were absolute masters. Since margarita pizza is vegetarian and a true food of the gods and enlightened people, you might read that link I posted if you have any interest, it's a really good primer.

I am genuinely sorry, but it is not food of the gods if it lacks anchovies. The main reason I am still piscivorous.

 

[Alexb2000]

I am genuinely sorry, but it is not food of the gods if it lacks anchovies. The main reason I am still piscivorous.

Toppings……. oh, sigh. Sure put on what you like and use only the best.

However, it is easy to get lost on the toppings, that's why pizza making is judged by the margarita pizza and more specifically the dough. That's where the artistry and skill lies. Anybody can throw on toppings.

 

[Sac Arrow]

I am genuinely sorry, but it is not food of the gods if it lacks anchovies. The main reason I am still piscivorous.

That reminds me of why I don't do Round Table anymore, not that I particularly liked their pizzas greatly to begin with.

"How come there's only three anchovies on this pizza?"

"Well, because generally most people don't like them, so we go really light on them."

How do you argue with that.

 

[Jim_R]

What I've always done is pre-heat the stone as hot as it will go and roll the dough out on my countertop. Then I transfer the dough to a pizza peel and build it there, and then transfer it from the peel to the stone and let it bake for 7-10 minutes.

The hardest part of the process is making sure the pizza will transfer from the peel to the stone without sticking. If I can eliminate that step it would be great.

If I had a peel (more specifically if I had a place in my kitchen to stash a peel) I'd do exactly what you just said. Alas, the kitchens of Steinholme are a trifle incomplete.

Exactly correct, though I dust the stone with come corn meal to keep the crust from sticking. You apply the crust carefully and assemble the pizza with alacrity.

Corn meal is your friend, use liberally. If I had a peel I would certainly use it.

I'm personally not a fan of corn meal; I don't like that "crunch" on my pizza crust. Instead, I use Bob's Semolina Flour. Commonly available in bigger grocery stores these days. Grains are smaller and softer, and don't adversely affect the mouthfeel of the crust.

It's a flour, though, and will get soft and sticky if the dough sits too long on the peel before going in the oven. I have learned that even if it sticks, I can still break the dough free from the peel by "jiggling" the peel fore and aft about 2-3 inches several times very quickly. If it takes you a long time to bulid your pizza, or you have to leave it on the peel for a while before putting it the oven, just keep giving it a few shakes every few minutes to keep it loose.

Steingar: Do you have a door to your pantry? Put a hook on the back and hang your peel there. I live in a small townhouse with a tiny pantry, and there's still plenty of room for my peel. It's all about priorities!

 

[steingar]

Steingar: Do you have a door to your pantry? Put a hook on the back and hang your peel there. I live in a small townhouse with a tiny pantry, and there's still plenty of room for my peel. It's all about priorities!

Not a bad thought, might even try that if Mrs. Steingar doesn't mind too bad. But to be honest assembling and dressing a pizza on a hot stone is not that big a deal. I don't make them (pizzas) much anymore to be honest. Used to be a weekly thing, but we've got some health issues keeping our pizza consumption down.

Fooey.